A snowstorm is on its way to the East Coast as the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team gets set for its biggest test of the season.

The undefeated Commodores — off to their best start in program history — will play at South Carolina on Sunday afternoon (3 p.m. ET, ESPN) unless Mother Nature decides otherwise. Should the showdown take place, it will be Vanderbilt’s latest opportunity to prove it is a legit contender for the SEC title and a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Coached by UConn star Shea Ralph, now in her fifth season, Vandy is on pace to secure a top 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament — meaning it would host games in Nashville during the opening weekend of March Madness — for the first time since 2007. The Commodores have been powered by super sophomore Mikayla Blakes, freshman Aubrey Galvan and a host of other complimentary players.

What lies ahead for them in Columbia, South Carolina, is a Gamecocks’ team that is licking its wounds after losing in overtime at Oklahoma. South Carolina has been the dominant team in the SEC for several years, having gone to five consecutive Final Fours and winning two national titles in that stretch.

The other SEC team to win a championship this decade is LSU, who Vanderbilt already beat a few weeks ago.

Under its previous head coach, Stephanie White, Vanderbilt became an afterthought in the SEC as South Carolina rose to power. The Commodores never had more than five conference wins in any of her six seasons at the helm.

Under Ralph, they’ve risen to relevance, having gone to the NCAA Tournament in two straight seasons. A win over South Carolina on Sunday — which would be their 20th this season — should end any questions about whether they’re legitimate contenders.

Here’s the other games to watch in women’s college basketball this weekend:

Game that could shake up national rankings: Ohio State at Iowa

2 p.m. ET, Sunday (Peacock)

Behind its superb post-play, head-turning assists from Chit-Chat Wright and some timely 3-pointers from Taylor McCabe, the Hawkeyes are back in the top 10 and look like a team that can go deep in March. They’re undefeated so far in Big Ten play and have won seven in a row. But the Buckeyes also have a seven-game win streak going and are riding high after a non-conference win over TCU. This is a Big Ten clash you shouldn’t miss.

Must-watch player matchup: Oklahoma at Auburn

2 p.m. ET, Sunday (SEC Network)

Aaliyah Chavez has emerged as the bus driver for the Oklahoma Sooners and her heroics on Thursday lifted them to an overtime victory over South Carolina, marking just the third time in program history Oklahoma has beaten a top-two nationally-ranked opponent. If you missed her performance of 26 points and eight assists against the Gamecocks, watch her stunt on Auburn.

Mid-major matchup worth watching: Army at Navy

11 a.m. ET, Saturday (CBS Sports Network)

Any clash in any sport between the Midshipmen and Black Knights is worth tuning into, but this one is going to have a big impact on the standings in the Patriot League. Army and Navy are both 6-1 in Patriot play, tied atop the table. Navy was picked as the preseason favorites in the conference and has mostly lived up to the hype. Tim Taylor’s Mids are powered by Zanai Barnett-Gay, who is one of four players in the country averaging at least 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals per game. In Katie Kuester’s first season at the helm at West Point, Army has four players averaging double figures.

Big stakes for a bubble team: West Virginia at BYU

9:30 p.m. ET, Saturday (ESPN+)

In USA Today Sports’ most recent bracket watch, we projected BYU as one of the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament field. That was before the Cougars picked up a win over Texas Tech. Now, BYU has the chance to secure another resume-boosting victory against West Virginia. Should the Cougars beat the Mountaineers, it’ll be their first Quad 1 win of the season. Keep an eye on Delaney Gibb, who had 18 points and six assists for BYU in the win over Texas Tech.

Sickos game of the week: Texas A&M at Missouri

6 p.m. ET, Sunday (SEC Network)

The opportunities for both of these teams to pick up wins in SEC play is quickly diminishing. If something compels you to watch this game with vested interest, the 3-point line will make it worth paying attention. Kellie Harper’s Missouri is 10th nationally in behind the arc shooting percentage with a 37.3% clip, while Joni Taylor’s Aggies rank 215th nationally in defending the 3.

Also watch…

• UConn at Seton Hall: 12 p.m. ET, Saturday (Peacock)
• Princeton at Brown: 12 p.m. ET, Saturday (ESPN+)
• Richmond at George Mason: 11 a.m. ET, Sunday (ESPNU)
• Syracuse at North Carolina: 12 p.m. ET, Sunday (The CW)
• Tennessee at Ole Miss: 7 p.m. ET, Monday (ESPNU)

Just in time for the Milano Cortina Olympics.

Shiffrin made her first GS podium since the November 2024 crash that left her with a puncture wound and PTSD on Saturday, Jan. 24, finishing third in the World Cup in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic. This was the final GS race before the Winter Games next month.

Shiffrin beamed and pumped her skis when she was announced as the bronze medalist. And no wonder. It’s been a long way back.

Shiffrin was leading the GS in Killington, Vermont, when she lost her balance in the second run and fell. As she skidded across the hill, something ‘stabbed’ her in her right obliques. Though she avoided serious damage — the wound barely missed her colon — she would miss the next two months as she recovered and regained her strength.

The physical wound was not the only damage, however. She experienced PTSD symptoms when she trained GS, a fun-house effect in which her mind could visualize what she wanted to do on the course but her body was responding in slow-motion. Not only frustrating, but potentially dangerous on an icy slope at speeds up to 50 mph.

The off-season gave Shiffrin a chance to both recover and train, and she made had steady progress this season, with top-five finishes in her last two races. But the podium eluded her until Saturday.

Spindleruv Mlyn is a place Shiffrin knows well. It’s where she made her World Cup debut, in 2011, and she’d been third in her last two GS races there.

Shiffrin looked comfortable and in control in both of her runs, even posting the fastest time of the field in the third sector of the second run. Her time of 2:24.09 was 0.23 seconds behind Sweden’s Sara Hector, and just 0.05 behind teammate Paula Moltzan.

Moltzan and Shiffrin had the fastest times in the second run, but Hector had built up enough of a lead after the first run to stay in front of them.

Still, Shiffrin was delighted with the finish, her first podium in a GS race since Jan. 20, 2024. She smiled and laughed with Moltzan and Hector as they waited for the medals ceremony, and grinned as she climbed onto the podium.

Back at last.

Longtime San Francisco 49ers quarterback John Brodie died on Friday, the team announced. He was 90.

Brodie spent his entire 17-year career with the Niners, from 1957 to 1973. He was the third overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft and appeared in 201 games, including 159 starts, for San Francisco. Brodie piled up 31,548 yards and 214 touchdowns.

He holds 49ers records for most seasons played, has the second-most passing yards in franchise history and third-most passing touchdowns.

‘The 49ers family is saddened to learn of the passing of one of the franchise’s all-time great players, John Brodie,’ York said. ‘As a kid, my 49ers fandom began by watching John play quarterback on television. He displayed an incredible commitment towards his teammates and his support of the organization never wavered after his playing days.’

John Brodie accolades and achievements

Brodie started and played in five postseason games, where he threw for 973 passing yards with four touchdowns.

His teammates selected him to be the recipient of the team’s Len Eshmont Award in 1965 due to his inspirational and courageous play.

Brodie’s other NFL achievements include being a two-time All-Pro honoree (second team in 1965, first team in 1970), two-time Pro Bowl selection (1966, 1971) and NFL MVP in 1970.

He led the league twice in passing touchdowns (1965, 1970), and he led the league in passing yards three times (1965, 1968 and 1970). He had the best passer rating in football in 1970, and was the most accurate passer in 1958 and 1965.

He helped lead San Francisco to back-to-back NFC Championship Games in 1970 and 1971.

His No. 12 jersey was retired by the team in 1973. Brodie was subsequently inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1988 and became a member of the 49ers Hall of Fame in 2009 (the inaugural class).

‘John became a dear friend of mine, and he will always be remembered as an important part of 49ers history,’ York said. ‘We express our deepest condolences to his wife, Sue, and the entire Brodie family.’

John Brodie early life

Brodie was born on Aug. 14, 1935 in Menlo Park in San Mateo County, in the San Francisco-Bay Area.

Growing up in Oakland, he attended and graduated from Oakland Technical High School in 1953.

He then went to Stanford University, where he lettered in both football (1954-56) and golf (1955-56). Brodie was named an unanimous All-American following his senior season at Stanford.

John Brodie life after football

Following his football career, Brodie served as an NFL and golf analyst for NBC Sports.

For two seasons, he was considered NBC’s No. 1 NFL analyst with play-by-play man Curt Gowdy. Brodie and Gowdy called Super Bowl 13 in January 1979, which saw the Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Dallas Cowboys 35–31.

After football and broadcasting, Brodie continued to pursue his golf career. He competed as a professional golfer from 1985 to 1998 in the Senior PGA Tour (now PGA Tour Champions). He had one win, 12 top-10 finishes and earned a total of $735,000.

LA QUINTA, CA — All the talk of playing in the Bahamas and private flights across the country and late-night fast-food runs faded under the brilliance of a Southern California day and the talent of Blades Brown on Friday, Jan. 23.

Brown, who made his professional debut at 17 years old last year at The American Express, fired a 12-under 60 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West in the second round of the PGA Tour event at the La Quinta Country Club. It was the lowest round in the PGA Tour by an 18-year-old since 1983.

Brown, seeking an historic 59, parred the final three holes including a 7-foot putt on his final hole that rolled agonizingly wide right.

‘I saw my spot just a little before the hole. I got a great read off David Ford,’ Brown said of his final putt for 59. ‘He dripped it in there and it went right dead center. So I was thinking, okay, maybe just a little outside right edge. Unfortunately, it didn’t break, but it’s all right. I’m not worried about it.’

As he watched his putt sail right, Brown looked to the heavens in disappointment as a large gallery groaned, obviously aware of the moment and wanting to be a part of history. But the smile returned to his face moments later after tapping in his par, for a course record and stamping himself as a rising star in the sport.

LEADERBOARD: Full results from The American Express

‘I just really like this golf course. There’s something about the Nicklaus Course that I just really like,’ said Brown, who shot 64 on the course in 2025 including a run of six consecutive birdies. ‘Like, it’s so money. It’s so pure. Everything is just perfectly well-kempt. I love playing with no wind. So when you put all those things together it’s fun.’

He was bidding for the 16th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history and the third ever shot at the desert’s PGA event.

Brown, a member of the Korn Ferry Tour and in the field this week on a sponsor’s exemption, shares the 36-hole lead in the tournament at 17-under, with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler, playing four groups ahead of Brown, fired a 64 on the Nicklaus course. Si Woo Kim fired a 65 on the Pete Dye Stadium Course, the toughest of the three courses in the rotation, and is alone in third at 16 under.

Brown wasn’t the only player to make it to the 18th hole with a shot at a 59 on Friday. Andrew Putnam, playing at La Quinta Country Club, had a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, but missed and had to settle for a fantastic 12-under 60 to tie the course record.

Brown began his day on the 10th hole at the Nicklaus course and birdied the first hole, followed by an eagle on the par-5 11th. Brown then made five consecutive birdies to reach 8 under through seven holes before making three consecutive pars.

But starting on the second hole on the front nine (his back), Brown regained his torrid scoring touch, with four birdies in his next five holes to get to 12 under for the day. He managed just a par on the par-5 seventh hole, then missed makeable birdie putts on the eighth and ninth hole which would’ve given him a magical 59.

Brown or Putnam would’ve been the third golfer shoot 59 at The American Express. David Duval shot the number in the final round of the 1999 tournament on the Palmer Course at PGA West to win the tournament. Adam Hadwin shot 59 in the third round of the 2017 event at La Quinta Country Club, but Hadwin ended up second that week behind Hudson Swafford.

Brown’s fantastic round comes just two days after he finish play in the Korn Ferry Tour event in the Bahamas, where Brown finished tied for 17th. Brown took a private jet for six hours to get to the Southern California desert late Wednesday night, hit fast-foot restaurant Panda Express, went to a grocery store and then went to sleep before his 9:58 a.m. tee time Thursday. Brown shot 5-under 67 at La Quinta Country Club to open the event.

Putnam’s round at La Quinta Country Clubs starter slower than Brown’s with just one birdie in his first three holes. But Putnam, 36 and with one PGA Tour victory, rattled off six consecutive birdies and capped that run with an eagle on the par-5 11th to get to 9-under for the day. He added two birdies at 13 and 14 and another at 17 to reach 12 under before making the long two-putt for a par on the 18th hole.

The 60 moved Putnam to 12 under for the tournament, tied for 18th in a week where low scoring seems to be at a record pace. The two 60s even overshadowed Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world who cruised to a 64 for his second consecutive bogey-free round in his first tournament of the year. One of the players to have shot 59 in an event back in 2020, Scheffler said he wouldn’t have been too surprised had the day produced two 59s.

‘The courses are in good shape, you’ve got good weather conditions, I think that’s a recipe for some low scores when you got guys with the amount of talent that we have out here on tour,’ Scheffler said. ‘I think when you get those two things together you’re going to see some low scores.’

Both Scheffler and Brown will move to the Stadium Course for the third round Saturday. Brown was in contention to make the cut in the 2025 American Express but a third-round 74 on the Stadium Course moved him outside of the cut line in his pro debut.

‘(Saturday) obviously the Stadium Course is the more difficult of the three golf courses,’ Brown said. ‘I haven’t played it yet (this year), so I’m just going to go see where I can hit it down the fairway, hit it on the green, and try to make a putt.’

The idea of a Sunday final group including Scheffler and Brown is tantalizing. Scheffler says he only knows a little bit of Brown’s story and does not know Brown personally.

‘These kids coming out, they know they got to come out and make some birdies. I think when you’re coming out young you don’t have as much scar tissue as the guys that are a little bit more seasoned, and you just come out, and if you want to make a name for yourself you got to put up some good scores,’ Scheffler said. ‘It sounds like an 18-year-old shooting 59 is a pretty good start to his career there.’

Brown said he’d love the chance to play with the world’s No. 1.

‘I think that would be awesome, yeah. Scottie is an unbelievable golfer,’ Brown said. ‘I’d try to learn from him as much as I can the way he plays the golf course. There’s a lot of strategy in his game, and he’s obviously an unbelievable ball-striker. So it’s really cool watching him play some golf.’

The 15 sub-60 rounds in PGA history

• Jake Knapp (59): 2025 Cognizant Classic (Round 1)
• Hayden Springs (59): 2024 John Deere Classic (Round 1)
• Cameron Young (59): 2024 Travelers Championship (Round 3)
• Scottie Scheffler (59): 2020 The Northern Trust (Round 2)
• Kevin Chappell (59): 2019 Military Tribute at the Greenbrier (Round 2)
• Brandt Snedeker (59): 2018 Wyndam Championship (Round 1)
• Adam Hadwin (59): 2017 Career Builder Challenge (Round 3)
• Justin Thomas (59): 2017 Sony Open (Round 1)
• Jim Furyk (58): 2016 Travelers Championship (Round 2)
• Jim Furyk (59): 2013 BMW Championship (Round 2)
• Stuart Appleby (59): 2010 Greenbrier Classic (Round 4)
• Paul Goydos (59): 2010 John Deere Classic (Round 1)
• David Duval (59): 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic (Round 4)
• Chip Beck (59): 1991 Las Vegas Invitational (Round 3)
• Al Geiberger (59): 1977 Memphis Classic (Round 2)

In December, Stanford sophomore defender Sammy Smith was representing the Cardinal in the 2025 College Cup final on a grassy soccer field. By February, Smith will be on snow-capped Italian mountains representing the United States in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

Smith, 20, was named to the Team USA the cross-country skiing roster on Thursday, alongside four-time Olympian Jessie Diggins, who won the nation’s first Olympic gold in cross country in team sprint in 2018 at Pyeongchang, Korea. Smith said making her Olympic debut will ‘make a lifelong dream a reality.”

“I could not be more excited to represent the U.S. at the Winter Olympics,” Smith said in a statement.

TEAM USA: Here’s the complete 2026 Winter Olympics competition schedule

The Boise, Idaho, native earned her Olympic bid following a skate sprint and classic sprint win at the U.S. Cross Country Championships in Lake Placid, New York, in January, less than a month after Stanford women’s soccer lost to Florida State in the national championship match. Smith then bolstered her resume with a 12th place sprint finish in a World Cup race in Oberhof, Germany, on Jan. 17.

Smith is one of eight women named to the U.S. cross-country skiing roster for 2026 Milano Cortina Games, joining Diggins, Rosie Brennan, Lauren Jortberg, Kendall Kramer, Julia Kern, Novie McCabe and Hailey Swirbul. She’s also one of at least four Stanford undergraduates that qualified for the games: joining Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin (freestyle skiing), China’s Eileen Gu (freestyle skiing) and USA’s Brandon Kim (short track speed skating).

This is not the first time Smith has represented her country. She represented the USA at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and played for the under-19 team at the 2023 Pan American Games.

Cross-country skiing is the oldest form of skiing at the Olympics and dates back to the first Winter Games in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The women’s events were first contested at the 1952 Oslo Winter Olympics.

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Swinney called out new Ole Miss coach Pete Golding for tampering with Cal transfer linebacker Luke Ferrelli, who just joined the Tigers’ program this semester.

At his Friday, Jan. 23 news conference the two-time national championship-winning coach called out Golding and Rebels general manager Austin Thomas for contacting Ferrelli, who recently flipped his transfer to Ole Miss after he initially transferred to the Tigers following his freshman season at Cal.

‘I know you’re signed, what’s the buyout?’ Swinney said of the text Ferrelli told Clemson general manager Jordan Sorrells he received from Golding during his 8 a.m. class he was taking at Clemson. Ferrelli said he also received a photo of a $1 million check from Golding.

Ferrelli signed his financial aid agreement on Jan. 7 and moved to Clemson on Jan. 11, according to Swinney.

‘If you tamper with my players, I’m going to turn you in,’ Swinney said.

Carter also mentioned Neff said Clemson is ‘exploring’ legal options with the situation as well.

What is tampering?

Tampering in college athletics is when teams contact players who are on other teams. That is against the rules.

In many cases, teams will do that to try to get players into the transfer portal. However, accusations are rarely publicized.

‘We have a broken system, and if there are no consequences for tampering, then we have no rules and we have no governance,’ Swinney said.

Is tampering allowed in college football?

No, teams are not allowed to tamper with athletes, according to NCAA bylaw 13.1.1.4.

Here’s what the full rule says:

‘An athletics staff member or other representative of the institution’s athletics interests shall not communicate or make contact with the student-athlete of another NCAA Division I institution, or any individual associated with the student-athlete (e.g., family member, scholastic or non-scholastic coach, advisor), directly or indirectly, without first obtaining authorization through the notification of transfer process. Before making contact, directly or indirectly, with a student-athlete of an NCAA Division II or Division III institution, or an NAIA four-year collegiate institution, an athletics staff member or other representative of the institution’s athletics interests shall comply with the rule of the applicable division or the NAIA rule for making contact with a student-athlete.’

What is NCAA punishment for tampering in college football?

According to the NCAA manual, Ole Miss could receive a Level II violation if it contacted Ferrelli after he was enrolled at Clemson. The punishment could worsen if Ole Miss gave Ferrelli money to lure him to the Rebels.

One circumstance for a Level I violation, according to the manual, is ‘Cash payment or other benefits provided by a coach, administrator or representative of the institution’s athletics interests intended to secure, or which resulted in, enrollment of a prospective student-athlete.’

The Rebels could also get a Level I violation from ‘third-party involvement in recruiting violations in which institutional staff members knew or should have known about the involvement.’

A Level I violation is the NCAA’s most serious misconduct threshold.

Penalties for a Level I and Level II violations can include fines, suspensions, show-cause orders, postseason bans, scholarship reductions, recruiting restrictions and probation.

Who is Luke Ferrelli?

Ferrelli was the ACC defensive rookie of the year for 2025. He had 91 tackles, including five for loss and one sack, an interception and one pass breakup in 13 games in 2025 for Cal. He led all freshmen in tackles (87) and finished second among all ACC freshmen in tackles for loss (five).

Jaxson Dart, Trinidad Chambliss contacted Luke Ferrelli, Dabo Swinney said

According to Swinney, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and former Rebels QB Jaxson Dart contacted Ferrelli before he re-entered the transfer portal.

‘Luke also mentioned to (Clemson general manager Jordan Sorrells) and to (Clemson linebackers coach Ben Bouleware) that Coach Golding had Trinidad Chambliss call him from his phone and Coach Golding was there continuing to talk on his phone to push him to re-enter the transfer portal,’ Swinney said. ‘He also said that Jaxson Dart had reached out and called him.’

Anytime that Rick Pitino and Richard Pitino go head-to-head against each other as father and son, it’s a national storyline.

That’s once again the case on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET inside the Cintas Center, when No. 25 St. John’s travels to Xavier. But there’s an extra layer to it this time around, as the elder Pitino is chasing career win No. 900 against his son, a feat that would put him in sole possession of fourth place among Division I men’s basketball coaches for all-time wins.

‘I think he will do everything humanly possible to stop it,’ Rick Pitino said following the Red Storm’s 65-60 win over Seton Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 20. ‘… This is going to be a lot of fun. Great game. If we lose, I’ll leave my team in Cincinnati.’

Saturday’s game marks the first time the father-son duo will go head-to-head against each other in the Big East, after Richard Pitino was hired to lead the Musketeers this past offseason following Sean Miller leaving for Texas and the SEC. It’s the fifth overall time in their careers that they will go head-to-head.

In true father-son fashion, Richard Pitino had some fun on X (formerly Twitter) with his dad’s milestone ahead of his media availability on Friday, Jan. 23.

‘Can’t believe I’m going for my 258th win vs. my dad. What are the odds???’ Richard Pitino wrote on X on Jan. 23.

Here’s what to know about Rick Pitino’s coaching career, and the head-to-head history of the father-son duo:

Where is Rick Pitino coaching now?

Rick Pitino is in his third season at St. John’s, ‘New York’s basketball team.’ He was hired by the Johnnies in March 2023 following a three-year stint at Iona, which served as his unofficial reinsertion into college basketball after a brief stint away from it following his exit at Louisville.

Last season, Pitino led St. John’s to one of the program’s best seasons since the Lou Carnesecca era in Queens, as the Red Storm finished with a 31-5 overall record, won their first Big East tournament title since 2000 and grabbed a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Rick Pitino coaching career 

Here’s a stop-by-stop breakdown of Rick Pitino’s coaching career, which includes multiple college basketball programs and NBA organizations:

Head coach position unless noted otherwise

• 1974-1976: Hawaii (assistant)
• 1976-1978: Syracuse (assistant)
• 1978-1983: Boston University
• 1983-1985: New York Knicks (assistant coach) *
• 1985-1987: Providence
• 1987-1989: New York Knicks *
• 1989-1997: Kentucky
• 1997-2001: Boston Celtics *
• 2001-2017: Louisville
• 2018-2020: Panathinaikos **
• 2020-2023: Iona
• 2023-Present: St. John’s

* Denotes NBA job

** Denotes EuroLeague job

Rich Pitino coaching record

• Career record: 889-316
• NCAA Tournament record: 55-22
• Final Four appearances: 1987, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2012*, 2013*
• National championships: 1996, 2013*

* Denotes vacated by NCAA

Rick Pitino holds an 899-316 overall record across his 38 seasons as a Division I men’s basketball head coach, including a 65-23 record in three seasons at St. John’s.

The 73-year-old coach made history last season when St. John’s earned the No. 2 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament, as he became the first Division I men’s basketball coach to take six different schools — the others being Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville and Iona — to March Madness.

He’s won two NCAA Tournaments in his coaching career, though his second one at Louisville was vacated by the NCAA. His first national championship came in 1996 at Kentucky.

Pitino’s 2013 NCAA Tournament ring being vacated is a major reason why he’s coaching at St. John’s today. The ex-Louisville head coach was fired for cause by the Cardinals after an FBI investigation was prompted by Adidas paying recruits to go to Louisville. Pitino, who in 2020 said he deserved to be fired at Louisville after years of saying the opposite, was charged by the NCAA with a Level II violation in 2020, citing him for ‘failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance’ during his tenure at the University of Louisville.

This was one of two scandals that the NCAA looked into during Pitino’s time with the Cardinals; the first was a sex scandal that emerged in 2015.

What is Rick Pitino’s record vs. son Richard Pitino?

Saturday’s matchup between Xavier and St. John’s will be the fifth iteration of the Pitino rivalry, with Rick holding a 3-1 lead in the all-time series.

The first head-to-head matchup between the father-son duo came in 2012, when Rick was at Louisville and Richard was at Florida International University, in which the elder Pitino’s fifth-ranked Cardinals won 79-55. The two then met two years later in 2014 during Richard’s second season at Minnesota; that game also went to Louisville.

Richard Pitino’s lone win against his father came in Rick’s final season at Iona in 2022, when New Mexico defeated the Gaels 82-77 down in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at The Pit.

The most recent Pitino clash came last season at Madison Square Garden. St. John’s RJ Luis Jr. led the Red Storm to an 85-71 win at ‘The World’s Most Famous Arena’ over Richard’s Lobos, scoring 21 points on 8-of-18 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds.

‘It is what it is. It comes with the territory,’ Richard Pitino said during his Jan. 23 media availability. ‘There’s a lot of amazing things that come with being his son, and there’s every now-and-then 2% is a little bit annoying, but the other 98% is phenomenal.’

Here’s a game-by-game breakdown of the Pitino vs. Pitino rivarly:

• 2012: Louisville 79, FIU 55 (Rick Pitino leads 1-0)
• 2014: Louisville 81, Minnesota 68 (Rick Pitino leads 2-0)
• 2022: New Mexico 82, Iona 74 (Rick Pitino leads 2-1)
• 2024: St. John’s 85, New Mexico 71 (Rick Pitino leads 3-1)

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MELBOURNE, Australia —Jannik Sinner suffered cramps in extreme heat and lost his first set since October but the Australian Open defending champion battled through to the fourth round with a gutsy 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over American Eliot Spizzirri on Saturday.

In extraordinary scenes at Rod Laver Arena, the Italian limped over to his players’ box in desperation midway through the match and was told by coach Darren Cahill to walk through the rest of the third set if necessary to get to a break.

With his serve broken a point later and trailing 3-1, Sinner was reprieved as the tournament’s extreme heat policy was invoked to allow time for the stadium’s roof to close.

It proved pivotal, as when play resumed Sinner broke Spizzirri twice to take the set and again in the seventh game of the final stanza on the way to one of the most dramatic victories of his young career.

Keen to get a head start on his recovery, Sinner cut short his on-court interview after discussing the challenges he had faced during the match.

‘I struggled physically a bit today,’ the 24-year-old said. ‘I got lucky with the heat rule, I know they closed the roof.

‘I took my time, as the time passed I felt better and better.’

Sinner said the cramp had started in his leg and then he felt it in his arms.

‘So I was cramping a bit all over. This is the sport so I know this is an area I need to improve,’ he added.

‘At the end of the day, tennis is a very mental game. I just tried to play as calm as possible.’

Sinner will meet fellow Italian Luciano Darderi for a place in the quarterfinals as he continues his bid for a third consecutive title at Melbourne Park, where he struggled in serious heat last year in the fourth round against Holger Rune.

On Saturday, his run of 12 straight matches without losing a set dating back to Vienna last year was snapped as the inspired Spizzirri stormed back from 4-2 down to take the opener.

He then broke the Italian in the first game of the second set but let the momentum slip with a messy service game. Sinner claimed the next three games and fought off break points before levelling the match.

With the heat pushing past 36 degrees Celsius (97F), Sinner had a trainer work on his calf muscles but was soon reduced to limping between points.

He was warned for a time violation on serve after shuffling over to his box.

‘We just need to get through to the end of the set,’ Cahill told him.

‘Even if you walk around, don’t worry. We’ll take the break.’

Sinner lost the next point to fall 3-1 behind but the match’s suspension bought him eight precious minutes to regroup.

When play resumed, Sinner broke back at once and held firm until Spizzirri froze on break point at 4-4, dropping serve with a double fault.

Sinner served out the epic, 76-minute set to love, firing down an ace to earn an extended 10-minute break between sets under the heat policy.

Spizzirri was far from done, though.

The 24-year-old raised the pressure on Sinner’s serve and broke him in the fourth game of the fourth set with a deft drop-volley.

It was only a fleeting triumph, though, as Sinner broke back immediately with a highlight of his own, chasing down a drop-shot with a cross-court pass.

From there, the Italian was unstoppable as he raced to the finish in a barrage of incredible shot-making.

Spizzirri saved a match point on Sinner’s serve but surrendered with a forehand into the net to complete the Italian’s great escape.